Chapter 15: The Best Interests of the Volk

Memorable Passages:

" More important were the benefits of the procedure for the human race. What better an example to demonstrate the importance of modern medicine? What other animal, after all, could exercise the foresight to control its own reproduction in such a positive fashion?" (pg. 302)

Summary:


Johann starts in the court room; we get to hear his thoughts on the defendants and himself. It explains how the only difference between him and this is that they had been caught. Now we learn that studying sterilization has become a complete addiction to Johann after the death of Greta. Johann has since disagreed with the practice debate going on the time. He also questions whether controlling was a positive ideas for the population. The medical journals even said that the only effective way to control the human race was to sterilize every undesired human. There stated with a controlled experiment only with patients who agreed to it. Johann is completely involved in the party now and believes he is doing the right thing. Helga argues with Johann about the "movement". Helga doesn't wish to go to war. She ends the argument. Johann meets with Dr. Brandt. He is here to offer a new "job" to Johann. Johann is excited for the new job, Helga says nothing. Philip and Helga argue about the party again. Phillip and Johann meet where a argument happens. Phillip talks of his persecution as a Jew and how the party as affected his life now. Johann says he "cannot answer for the party’s views." Johann attends the meeting and supports and believes in everything there saying. Helga and Johann talk little about the meeting or anything at all.

Characters:

Karl Brandt (304)
Herr Doctor Horst Schumann (310)
Philipp Bouhler (314)
Hans Hefelmann(316)

Key Concepts/Events:

Reich’s Committee for Scientific Registration of Serious Hereditary and Congenial Disease (315): Group meeting that Johann attended at the end of the chapter.

Grafeneck (301)- One of Nazi Germany's killing centers, as part of the euthanasia program.

Korrektheit (301)- Political correctness

Vaterlandsliebe (301)- Patriotism; love of one's country

Karl Brandt (304)- Professor of Medicine, Hitler's physician

Sudetenland (306)- The south-west and western regions of Czechoslovakia, inhabited by mostly ethnic Germans.

Reich (308)- Empire

Jawohl (309)- Yes Sir

Tiergartenstrabe (310)- Zoo Street

Wurttemburg (310)- A former state in south-west Germany

Auf Wiedersehen (311)- Goodbye

Bahn-hof-zoo (312)- the Zoo train terminal

Nordsee (312)- The North Sea

Dank Schon (312)- Thank You

Blitzkrieg (313)- A war tactic based on speed and surprise, also called "lightning war"

Dachau (313)- The first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany

Buchenwald (313)- The largest Germany concentration camp

Lebewohl (314)- Farewell, or goodbye

Reichsmark (314)- The German currency

Mein Herren (316)- Sir or Master

Potsdamer Platz (316)- "Potsdam Square"- A public square and traffic intersection in Berlin, Germany.

Kaufhaus de Westens (317)- A department store in Berlin

Jugend (317)- Youth

Vocab:

idealism(301)- the act of envisioning things in an ideal form

indifference(301)-having no particular interest or concern

sterilization(302)-to deprive a person or animal of the ability to reproduce

eugenics(302)-study of hereditary improvement of the human race by controlled selective breeding

inexorably(302)- not capable of being persuaded by entreaty

imbeciles(302)- a stupid or silly person

incorrigibles(302)- incapable of being corrected

gastroenterology(308)-a branch of medicine concerned with structure, functions or diseases.